Device for flavoring cigarettes



March 2, 19.37. R, EHRIG ET AL 2,072,361

DEVICE FOR FLAVORING CIGARETTES Filed April 25, 1935 mvswoRs.

ATTORN Patented Mar. 2, 1937 PATENT oFFlc 2,072,381 nnvrcs roa mvonmc crcaanrras Harry R. Ehrlg and Randolph Stone, Chicago, Ill.;

said Stone assignor to said Ehrig Application April 25, 1935, Serial No. 18,098

3 Claims.

Our invention relates to improvements in devices for flavoring cigars, cigarettes and tobaccos or other vegetable fibres or leaves prepared for smoking.

5 The prior art illustrates numerous devices for this purpose, such as a stick or rod of medicated material, a' strip of absorbent impregnated with a perfume or incense, pine needles rolled into a cigar and many other similar devices.

All of the devicesof the prior art fall short, however, of accomplishing their purpose in a. satisfactory manner.

There are several difliculties which must be overcome before a satisfactory device of the type described can be produced.

One of the principal elements in a successful device of the type described is a vehicle or carrier capable of insertion into a cigar or cigarette and which will burn as the cigar orcigarette does,

yet will be odorless and tasteless.

A further factor in a commercially successful device of the type described is a vehicle or carrier capable of having a flavor or medicament sealed therein and capable only of being released when the vehicle or carrier is being burned.

With these and other requirements in mind, it is an object of our invention to provide an improved flavoring device of the class described capable of introduction into a cigar or cigarette and adapted to overcome all of the dimculties of the prior art, hereinbefore mentioned.

A further object of our invention is to provide an improved process for manufacturing devices of the class described.

A further object is 'to provide an improved process that is easily and simply carried out and one which produces completed devices of the type described that are capable of being burned 0 with the tobacco being smoked, and which are also capable of having sealed therein the flavoring or medicament as desired.

Other objects and advantages will be more apparent from the following description wherein reference is had to the accompanying sheet of drawing upon which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of one of the vehicle or carrier members formed from a reed or similar fibrous material;

r 00 showing the same inserted into using position therein;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the impregnated carrier taken generally on the lines 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 2 isa vertical sectional view of a cigarette.

Fig. 4 is a view illustrating the-manner in which the same is inserted into a cigarette.

In carrying out. our invention, we have found that one of' the necessary requirements in a carrier or vehicle for this purpose is a satisfactory material which will burn and which will be odorless and tasteless. Accordingly, we employ a stick member ill which is constructed of a reed, such as the reeds which are used as handles for toy balloons, and which are grown in the tropic regions. This reed is a porous, soft, absorbent, flexible, tasteless and viny reed .which can be obtained in any desired size.

In one embodiment of our invention, we prefer to use a reed approximately one-sixteenth of an inch in diameter and from one and one-half to two inches long. This is the type of reed which is preferable for insertion into the cigarette C, as shown, into which it is inserted by pressing into the center of the tobacco T therein. It will be noticed that one end It of the reed has been slightly tapered and shaped to ablunt point for easy insertion into the cigarette.

In preparing the sticks Ill for use, as thus explained, the reeds are first thoroughly dried and purified, and for this purpose may be given an ultra violet germicidal treatment. After this has been done, they are placed into a flavor bath in order to impregnate them with the particular flavor or medicament desired. For this purpose the sticks are placed in a sealed container under steam pressure in an atmosphere consisting of various percentages of flavoring oil or various percentages of medicaments, together with a certain percentage of alcohol. This liquid may also contain a small percentage of distilled water which acts as the carrier agent-for the flavor or medicament vapors, so that the sticks are thoroughly exposed to the action of the flavors or medicaments. The proper proportions of flavors, alcohol and water being in the container, the sticks are placed therein, the container is sealed, and then immersed in another tightly sealed tank of water.

The flavor container may have a small valve for steam to escape when the pressure therein is too great. Heat is applied to the boiling tank to boil the water therein at a very high temperature for approximately ten minutes, thus creating steam and highly potent vapors of flavoring in the inner sealed container. After this operation has been completed, the inner sealed contamer is taken out of the boiler and allowed to cool.

The cooling action may be by placing the same in a refrigerator or other force cooling apparatus so that a vacuum is created in the sealed container. By virtue of the heating action to which the container has been subjected, all of the alcohol and water therein will have been expelled through the valve mentioned, leaving only the flavoring oils and the sticks in the container, thus greatly intensifying the potency of the flavoring and permitting the sticks to absorb only the flavoring oils.

After the cooling operation, the sticks are removed and placed in long racks or clips and a e then subjected to air pressure so that the outer surfaces of the sticks are temporarily dried. After the sticks have had their outer surfaces dried, they are dipped into a solution of collodion or other similar sealing material. This material serves to coat the outer surface thereof, and after they are removed therefrom and placed upon racks or clips to dry, the sealing solution will have completely enclosed in the stick the moisture and potent flavor from the flavoring medium or medicament, thus causing the stickto be capable of carrying the flavor or medicament for a great length of time and not permitting the same to escape except when the stick has been broken and placed in tobacco or placed in a cigar or cigarette that is being smoked.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that a highly improved vehicle or carrier has been provided for a flavoring for medicament adapted to be inserted into tobacco to be smoked. The cellulose-like substance contained in the collodion causes the even burning of the stick with the tobacco, and due to the fact that it is tasteless, it will not change the taste of the tobacco or the flavoring oil.

It will be obvious that any conceivable type of flavoring or medicament may be employed and by subjecting the reed sticks mentioned to the flavor bath hereinbefore described, they will be thoroughly impregnated with the flavoring. It will be further obvious that by the use of a sealing wrapper, such as we have described, the flavor is sealed in the stick and will not escape until such time as the same is used.

While we have illustrated and described our invention with particular reference to its employment with a generally designated type of reed product, it will be obvious that other similar material may be impregnated and have the flavor sealed therein in the same manner which we have employed, and we do not wish to be limited to the specific details shown. Rathenwhat we desire to secure and protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A flavoring or scenting device for individual cigarettes comprising a porous, soft, absorbent,

flexible and tasteless reed member, an impregnation of flavoring oil in said reed member, and a cover for said reed, the cover consisting of a sealing compound whereby the flavoring oil will be retained in said reed, said reed being capable of combustion during the burning of a cigarette to release said oil as a vapor, and said sealing compound causing the reed to burn easily.

2. A scenting device for individual cigarettes or the like capable of insertion into the end of the cigarette, said device comprising a tasteless reed having an impregnation of flavoring oil, and means sealing said oil whereby during the burning of the cigarette said oil will be released as a vapor.

3. A medicating medium for individual cigarettes or the like capable of insertion into the end of the cigarette, said device comprising a tasteless reed having an impregnation of medicated oil, said reed having a collodion seal to retain said flavor in said reed and adapted to disintegrate to permit the release of said oil as a vapor during the burning of the cigarette.

RANDOLPH STONE. HARRY R. EHRIG. 

